What's stored in programdata. What is the ProgramData folder and what is it for. Is it possible to delete a folder without consequences
02.12.08. Attentive users often find service directories and some of them raise questions, for example, ProgramData, what is the folder in Windows 10 and where is it located? Let's start with the terminology, starting with Windows 7, installed programs store information and work files - most of them, in a specific directory, which is ProgramData. In addition, working files are stored partially in the directories of the program itself in Program Files and the current user, but this happens less and less. Due to the fact that when writing to the system windows partition, the program can violate the integrity of the system and lead to failures, in order to avoid - there is our gray eminence.
Location
If a number of users easily find ProgramData in themselves, the rest cannot even find it. Let's figure out where the ProgramData folder is in Windows 10, 8 and 7 and how to find it. I suggest going from an earlier version to a later one.Windows 7
So, we figured out above what the Programdata folder is in Windows 7, now about where it is:- "My Computer" → select the drive with the OS, usually "C:";
- And in the list, alphabetically, we find "ProgramData".
Let's take a look into it and see what's there. Very often the question is asked, is it possible to delete the Programdata folder? No, you should not delete it, for the reason that Microsoft is stored there, which contains elements important for the OS to work.
Sometimes users, having entered the "C:" drive, do not see the item they are looking for, this is due to the fact that the settings indicate Do not show hidden items, let's fix the situation.
- AT open folder drive "C:" → click "Tools" → "Folder Options".
- Go to the "View" tab → scroll a little lower and find "Hidden files and folders" → and see that the mode is set to "Do not show hidden files and folders ".
- Select the bottom position "Show hidden ..." → click "Apply".
- After clicking, pay attention to the directory immediately displayed "ProgramData" → "OK".
As a result, we will be redirected to ProgaramData. 
Windows 10
Above, we figured out where the ProgramData folder is located in Windows 7 and how to open it, now we will also do it for Windows 10 - the instructions are identical for OS versions 8, 8.1.
We indicated how to find and open the Programdata folder in Windows 10 in the instructions above, and now let's figure out which files and directories can be deleted from it. By the way, the path is written in the address bar. 
As already mentioned, the data of installed programs is stored here, but if the / complete removal, information may remain. Here it can be safely removed, in the screenshot below, a small list is marked. 
Holding down the key with the left mouse button select the necessary elements, not necessarily adjacent. This combination allows you to select randomly located objects. 
There are several ways to delete selected objects:
Many users who, although they use Windows, but know it at a rather weak level, periodically ask questions about certain system folders. One of these directories is ProgramData. Let's see what this folder is, why does it appear and can it be deleted from the computer without consequences?
About the ProgramData folder
On Windows desktop operating systems up to and including version 7, many application settings were stored in the ProgramData folder. Here you can find saves from some games, projects, for example, from video editors, and even temporary files that are needed to recover office documents.
After windows exit 8, this trend began to gradually decrease, and in version 10 of Microsoft's OS, a very small number of files can be found in ProgramData. This is due to the clear delineation of user rights, and each person working at the computer may have completely different application settings. That is why the main directory for storing the data of installed programs is now the ppData directory, which is located along the path C: \\ Users \\% UserName%, and there is also a separate branch of presets in the registry. In addition, some applications have started to use the more familiar Program Files directory as their main directory.
But in Windows 8, 8.1 and 10, this folder is still present, and it is needed to store data common to all computer users. These can be working document templates, dictionaries, skins, presets for multimedia projects, and even save from games. So what is the ProgramData folder in Windows 10? - now performs the function of the All Users directory, which was present in custom folders on Windows OS up to version 7 inclusive.
In general, in new versions operating system from Microsoft, not only the outer shell has changed, but the hierarchy of system folders has also been radically revised. This is a natural move aimed at increasing the security of the data of each user, regardless of whether he is a PC administrator or just sometimes works for him. By the way, by default ProgramData has the "hidden" attribute, so see the directory without additional settings file manager will not work.
Frequently asked questions about ProgramData
It's time to sort out the questions that most often concern users regarding such an ambiguous directory.
Why did ProgramData appear on disk?
Most likely, you specifically or accidentally enabled the display of hidden files in the file manager or explorer. If you do not want the directory to catch your eye, simply disable this setting by first checking in the properties whether the "birdie" is on the "hidden" attribute.
Second answer - you've upgraded Windows to more new version, for example, from Windows XP (7) to 10, and the attribute disappeared in the folder properties.
Is it possible to delete a folder without consequences?
Since this directory mainly stores data custom applications, then you can safely delete almost all subdirectories, but some settings of the programs that you use will go wrong. It should be noted that after restarting the application that stores data in this directory, the nested subfolders will appear again.
There is also system folder Microsoft, which cannot be removed even with administrator rights, but it can be cleaned special utilities... Doing this is strictly not recommended, since there is a high probability that the OS will completely stop working after such actions.
How do I open ProgramData without showing hidden files?
To go to the directory without changing the file manager settings, just write the full path to the directory in the address bar of the same explorer C: \\ ProgramData... AT Total Commander you need to add a prefix to the beginning CD.
Where has ProgramData gone?
The directory may not be present on the disk in those cases when you have just installed the operating system and there are no applications yet that would store their settings here. Just use the OS calmly. By the way, in Windows XP this directory is located in a completely different path.
Users who have little space allocated for the system disk internal storageperiodically run out of memory. Moreover, it is not occupied by the operating system and not installed programsand the ProgramData directory. What this folder is and why it is needed is described in the article.
Why do you need
This is a system windows folderfor storing installation files, data, settings files for programs and applications that are on the computer.
Where is it located and how to find it?
Since ProgramData is systemic, it is located at the root of the disk with installed Windowsbut by default it has the attribute "hidden". Therefore, you will not be able to find it through Explorer (this topic is covered in more detail in the article "Displaying hidden folders in Windows 10"). To see it, open hidden files and folders.
Windows 8, 8.1, 10
This computer → the system drive (basically it is denoted by the letter "C") → View menu → in the "Show and hide" block, check the "Hidden items" item.
Windows 7
Computer → system drive → press Alt → Tools menu → Folder options → View tab → Advanced options block → set the switch to "Show hidden files, folders and drives" → Ok.
After that the ProgramData folder will be displayed.
An alternative that works on all versions of Windows: Type% ProgramData% → Enter in the search bar.
Important! After completing all the actions, do not forget to hide the opened elements - this will save you from accidentally deleting important documents.
Can content be deleted?
The main question - is it possible to delete the contents of this folder because it takes up a lot of space? It is possible to do this, but remember that ProgramData is the system folder where important filesthat you may need while your computer is running. Therefore, it is highly undesirable to delete its contents.
For example, some programs (mainly anti-virus software) store in it backups installation distributions, which are requested when the main files are damaged. Thanks to this, the application is automatically restored without user intervention. If you delete them, the program and the computer will crash.
If you nevertheless decide to "clean" this directory, first of all delete the folders of those programs that have already been uninstalled from the PC. But do not touch the rest of the folders in ProgramData. If you want to "demolish" them, remember that you do everything at your own peril and risk!
The best way to free up free space on the internal storage is to use the Disk Cleanup utility or special programs, like CCleaner. To run Disk Cleanup:
RMB on the system disk → Properties → Disk Cleanup → specify the files to be deleted by ticking them → Ok.
If you are a Microsoft Insider and every time you install windows updates 10, on system disk previous assemblies are stored and setup files OS. They are used in case of a computer failure or if the user rolls back to a previous build. If your device is stable and you know you won't need them, remove them.
RMB on the system drive → Properties → Disk Cleanup → Cleanup system files → check the boxes “Previous windows installations"And" Temporary Windows installation files "→ Ok.
WindowsTen.ru
Hello dear readers and other visitors to the Spectr-rv.ru blog. In this article, you will learn about the purpose, some properties and the possibility of deleting the ProgramData folder present on the system drive in Windows 7, 8 and 10.
Attention to the ProgramData folder is due to the fact that this folder takes up quite a lot of space on the system drive. At the same time, not all users know what the purpose of the ProgramData folder is, where it is located and whether it can be deleted. The latter is especially true for computers with insufficient system disk space.
Today we will sort out all the questions regarding the ProgramData folder, and first of all, we will figure out how to find it.
How do I find the ProgramData folder?
As already mentioned, the ProgramData folder in Windows is located on the system drive, at its root. However, this folder is "hidden" by default. To see it, open the system drive (usually drive C) and click on the "View" menu in the explorer window.
In the "Show or hide" section, check the "Hidden items" item, after which the hidden folders of the system drive will become visible, and among them the ProgramData folder. By opening its properties window using the context menu, you can make sure that the folder really takes up a lot of disk space.
Keep in mind that immediately after installing Windows, there is no ProgramData folder on the system drive. It automatically appears there when installing various applications, being a repository of their installation files and some other information. Therefore, if you recently installed an operating system, the ProgramData folder may well be missing on the disk as unnecessary.
Purpose of the ProgramData folder
Some applications put their installation files in the ProgramData folder. It also stores program data and their settings, which are common and available to all PC users. AT previous versions Windows, the specified files were stored in the C: / Users / All Users / folder, which does not exist now, and for compatibility reasons, these files are redirected to the ProgramData folder.
Can I delete the ProgramData folder?
It is highly undesirable to delete the ProgramData folder. In addition, it contains a Microsoft folder that cannot be deleted. You can only delete files you know you don't need from a folder. However, you need to be careful when choosing them.
Please be aware that ProgramData is a system folder and deleting some important files may disrupt the normal operation of your computer. You can free the folder from the remnants of programs uninstalled earlier, which will free up disk space. It is better not to touch the rest of the contents of the folder.
Free up disk space
For many users, the ProgramData folder is mainly of interest as an object that can be used to free up additional disk space. However, as we found out, deleting some of the files it contains will not have a big positive effect. The most correct way to free up disk space is to use the standard disk cleanup program.
To start it the specified program, open the folder "This PC" and click on the icon of the system drive right click mice. AT context menu select the "Properties" item, after which the window of the same name should open.
On the General tab of the Properties window, click the Disk Cleanup button and wait while the program estimates the amount of disk space that can be freed up and the Disk Cleanup window opens.
Click the "Clean up system files" button. After one more estimate of the volume, tick all the boxes of the section "Delete following files: "And start the cleaning process by clicking the" OK "button.
After cleaning the system disk, check its results using the "Properties" window. For me, for example, as a result of cleaning, about 0.5 GB of disk space was freed.
That's all about the ProgramData folder. Now you know why this folder is needed, what is stored in it and whether it can be deleted, and you can also clear any section hard disk through staff resources Windows OS. Thank you for attention.
For questions and additions, please contact us in the comments. I will definitely answer.
Best regards, Vladimir (Spectr-rv.ru).
spectr-rv.ru
ProgramData: where is it located, why is the folder needed and can it be deleted in Windows 10
All Windows users are very familiar with the Program Files folder, located on the system drive, into which most applications are installed by default. On Windows 10, 8, and 7 operating systems, the system drive may also have a ProgramData folder. It does not appear immediately after installing Windows, but it is necessary for the system to function properly. You cannot delete ProgramData, and below we will look at what it serves.
How to find the ProgramData folder
The ProgramData folder is by default located on the system hard drive, that is, the one on which the Windows operating system is installed. The folder is located at the root of the disk, but initially it is hidden.
To find the ProgramData folder, you need to go to the root of the system drive and enable the display of hidden folders and files. In the Windows 10 operating system, this is done in the "View" tab of the window, where you need to select the "Show or hide" item and check the "Hidden items" item. After that, the ProgramData folder will be visible.
Why do I need the ProgramData folder
In modern versions of the Windows operating system, the ProgramData folder serves as a repository for general data, such as settings for various applications. All users can access the information stored in it, regardless of whether or not they have administrator rights. This folder is convenient to use, for example, to store templates for photo editing programs, videos, shared documents, and so on.
This folder was provided by Microsoft in the operating system to third party applications did not store the settings and common files in the Program Files folder, which is systemic and overwriting data in it is unsafe.
Please note: In earlier versions Windows operating system provided a shared folder for storing documents at:
C: \\ Users \\ All Users
At the moment, it was abandoned in favor of ProgramData. To make sure that this is true, it is quite simple, in the address bar of the explorer you need to enter the old address: C: \\ Users \\ All Users \\. By hitting Enter, you will notice that Explorer has redirected you to the ProgramData folder.
Why is the ProgramData folder not on disk
If the ProgramData folder is not on the system drive, there may be two reasons for this:
- A new operating system is installed on the computer, and at the moment no program has saved the general data in the ProgramData folder, respectively, it has not appeared yet;
- The display of hidden files and folders is disabled in the explorer settings.
You do not need to create the ProgramData folder on your own; if necessary, the operating system will do this instead of the user in automatic mode.
Is it possible to delete the ProgramData folder
It is not recommended to delete the ProgramData folder. If it has already been created, most likely it already contains a Microsoft folder, which cannot be deleted due to operating system limitations. In this case, you can erase unnecessary data from the folder. By deleting temporary unused application files from ProgramData, you can free up a lot of space.
This is especially critical if the operating system, and therefore the ProgramData folder, is on a small SSD.
OkeyGeek.ru
Why do I need the ProgramData folder and how to clean it correctly
woodhummer 1.07.2016 - 21:43 Workshop
Clearing the system drive from unnecessary files, users are faced with the overgrowth of the "ProgramData" folder. Let's take a closer look at what is in it and how to properly clean it.
What is this folder for and how to find it
"ProgramData" refers to the system folders and is located at the root of the C drive. It stores the following information:
Note: ProgramData is a hidden folder, to display it, you must enable the corresponding option in Windows Explorer... You can also get to it by typing% ProgramData% in the Run window (Win + R). 
How to properly clean up the ProgramData folder
You can delete content from this folder, but this should be done with extreme caution: thanks to the copies of installation files stored here, applications can be automatically restored in case of failures. However, you can safely remove the "tails" of programs uninstalled from your computer from this folder. The best option is to use system utility disk cleanup.
P.S.
Be very careful when manually deleting files from the ProgramData folder!
updated: 1.07.2016
leave a comment
wd-x.ru
Why and where is the AppData folder located in Windows?
Windows applications often store their data and preference files in the AppData folder. Moreover, AppData is in the folder of each user of a specific computer. By default, the AppData folder is hidden and can only be seen by displaying hidden files and folders.
How to find the AppData folder
Each Windows user account has its own AppData folder, and it contains the data of exactly the user in whose folder it is located. This enables programs and windows applications store several options of settings on a computer that is simultaneously used by several users.
The AppData folder (which is short for Application Data) first appeared in Windows Vista and is present in all modern versions of the operating system: Windows 7, 8 and 10.
You can find AppData in the folder with the user's name. So, in the folder of my user named Valery, the AppData folder is located at:
C: \\ Users \\ Valery \\ AppData
As mentioned above, this folder is hidden by default. But if you type% APPDATA% into the address bar of the file manager and press Enter, then the AppData of the current user will open.
Local, LocalLow, and Roaming folders
The AppData folder includes three folders: Local, LocalLow, and Roaming. Various programs and applications store different types settings and their data in each of them.
Roaming
The Roaming folder consists of data that the user moves from one computer to another, due to their synchronization or if the computer is connected to a domain with profile roaming. This is often important data and application settings.
For example, you will find the user profile here Google chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Opera, which store bookmarks and other browser data that are transferred with the user from computer to computer. It also stores some data for Viber, Skype, antivirus programs and virtual machines.
Local
The Local folder contains data that is specific to one specific computer. They never sync with other PCs, even if the PC is on a domain. These are computer-specific data or files big size... This can be a cache of programs and applications or settings that are not synchronized by the developers.
If the computer is not on the network, then there won't be much difference between the Roaming and Local folders. All data will only be stored on a PC. However, the data for such folders is shared by the application developers by default.
LocalLow
The LocalLow folder is for storing data from applications with “low integrity”. The ones that work with more limited security settings. It is mainly for buffered data generated by Internet Explorer, Java and programs from Adobe. For example, when using the browser in Protected Mode or Incognito Mode, it will only have access to the LocalLow folder.
If a program or application needs one set of settings or data for several or all users of the computer, then the ProgramData folder will be used for this. In earlier versions of Windows, this was done using the “All Users” AppdData folder.
Antivirus software, for example, in the ProgramData folder, scan logs and settings that are common to all users are saved.
But there are also exceptions. For example, Google Chrome stores all of its settings and user data in the Local folder. Although, in theory, such data should be stored in the Roaming folder. And such cases are not isolated.
For example, some applications store settings in the root folder of the user account (C: \\ Users \\ UserName \\), or in documents (C: \\ Users \\ UserName \\ Documents). Others may store their data anywhere else in the system. In Windows, application developers have the ability to customize them so that data is stored wherever they want.
Do I need to back up and can I delete the AppData folder data
Most windows users doesn't even know about the existence of the AppData folder. An ordinary computer user does not need to know about it. Therefore, it is hidden by default. This folder is designed for programs and applications to store their service data in it, and users usually refer to it only when absolutely necessary.
Basically, there is no need to back up the entire folder. However, it stores the entire chat history of most instant messengers (like Viber, Skype or Messenger), as well as the history of some browsers (like Google Chrome). In backing up such data, of course it makes sense.
Conversely, if one of the folders in AppData is deleted or lost, the user risks losing access to important data of this or that application.
About “How to recover browser history after cleaning”, “How to recover deleted history, contacts and Skype password”, “How to restore access to Facebook Messenger and save history on Android or Windows computer", As well as" How to restore chat history, contacts and Viber files on Android or Windows "as using the data of the AppData folder has already been described in other articles of our blog.
Backup the data of programs and applications that are stored in AppData often boils down to simply copying them to another location. In order to restore them, it is enough to copy the folder with such data back to the same location in the AppData folder of another or new computer. As a result, the program or application will use the data or settings from the previously created backup.
Just keep in mind that whether the program will correctly use the data from the backup depends on the properties of each individual application.
HetmanRecovery.com
Users who have little space on their internal storage allocated for the system disk occasionally run out of memory. Moreover, it is occupied not by the operating system and not installed programs, but by the ProgramData directory. What this folder is and why it is needed is described in the article.
Why do you need
This is the Windows system folder for storing installation files, data, settings files for programs and applications that are on your computer.
Where is it located and how to find it?
Since ProgramData is system-based, it is located at the root of the drive with Windows installed, but by default it has the "hidden" attribute. Therefore, you will not be able to find it through Explorer (this topic is covered in more detail in the article ""). To see it, open hidden files and folders.
Windows 8, 8.1, 10
This computer → the system drive (basically it is denoted by the letter "C") → View menu → in the "Show and hide" block, check the "Hidden items" item.
Windows 7
Computer → system drive → press Alt → Tools menu → Folder options → View tab → Advanced options block → set the switch to "Show hidden files, folders and drives" → Ok.
After that the ProgramData folder will be displayed.
An alternative that works on all versions of Windows: Type% ProgramData% → Enter in the search bar.
Important! After completing all the actions, do not forget to hide the opened elements - this will save you from accidentally deleting important documents.
Can content be deleted?
The main question is - is it possible to delete the contents of this folder because it takes up a lot of space? It is possible to do this, but remember that ProgramData is the system folder where important files are stored that may be needed while the computer is running. Therefore, it is highly undesirable to delete its contents.
For example, some programs (mainly anti-virus software) store in it backup copies of installation distributions, which are requested when the main files are damaged. Thanks to this, the application is automatically restored without user intervention. If you delete them, the program and the computer will crash.
If you nevertheless decide to "clean" this directory, first of all delete the folders of those programs that have already been uninstalled from the PC. But do not touch the rest of the folders in ProgramData. If you want to "demolish" them, remember that you do everything at your own peril and risk!
Clearing free memory
The best way to free up free space on the internal storage is to use the Disk Cleanup utility or special programs like CCleaner. To run Disk Cleanup:
RMB on the system disk → Properties → Disk Cleanup → specify the files to be deleted by ticking them → Ok.
If you are a Microsoft Insider and every time you install Windows 10 updates, the system drive contains the previous assemblies and OS installation files. They are used in case of a computer failure or if the user rolls back to a previous build. If your device is stable and you know you won't need them, remove them.
Hello colleagues! My question is about the ProgramData folder, which is in my Windows 10 at the root of the drive (C :). In particular, I want to know the purpose of the folder, and can it be deleted or transferred to another HDD partition? It takes on my disk(C :) a whopping 5.17 GB! Searches for information on the network led me to the conviction that it is in no case to delete this folder, because in this case the installed programs will begin to behave unstable. But then how to transfer it to disk (D :)? Or can you do something with it so that it takes up less space?
ProgramData is hidden folderlocated at the root of the drive (C: \\) windows systems 7, 8.1 and 10. What is this folder, what is its meaning, is it possible to partially get rid of its contents, or even delete it entirely, or, at worst, transfer it to disk (D :)?
Programdata: what kind of folder is this
This folder is not critical for the operability of the operating system itself, but its value is important for the operation of a third-party software... It stores unpacked installation files, as well as data and settings of some programs - installed on the system and portable (which have been launched at least once).
Most of the data and settings of programs in Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 are stored in another folder, which we recently mentioned in one of the. But the latter stores the data and settings of third-party software associated with the current account windows entry... Whereas ProgramData is shared folder for all computer accounts, and desktop programs with its contents will work, no matter which user logs on to the system.
How to access ProgramData
To access this folder, you need to go to the root of the drive (C: \\), before or in the file manager used.
If you don't feel like messing around with the parameters of the explorer, you can get inside "ProgramData" in a simpler way - insert the path into the "Run" command field (hot keys for launching Win + R):
Or meaning:
Whom it is more convenient.
What happens if you delete ProgramData
If you delete this folder, programs installed on the system may lose settings or start working incorrectly. Therefore, "ProgramData" is protected by the system. In addition to the fact that this folder is hidden, its deletion will be blocked by the need to obtain permission from the hidden account Windows administrator.
The maximum that can be done with this folder, if there is a critical lack of free space on the C drive, is to delete from it subfolders with program settings that have already been uninstalled from the system. But a partial clearing of "ProgramData" is unlikely to resolve the issue with free space, since its entire weight often does not reach even half a gigabyte. It is necessary to solve the issue with disk cleaning (C: \\) using and programs for.
How to transfer the ProgramData folder
This is an interesting question, but only for various experimenters and enthusiasts, and ordinary users hardly need this, since the folder rarely grows more than 1 GB and the case with our reader is most likely an exception. If you decide to transfer, then you should be aware that Microsoft strongly discourages changing the location of the ProgramData folder and easy way for this does not exist.I personally enduredthe ProgramData folder to a different drive, but it was preview version Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 10074. If any of the users did this with latest version Win 10 or knows more ways, I will be grateful for the ideas.
